Although there were significantly fewer car thefts and gunfire incidents in Laval last year, fraud cases increased, according to a year-end report filed by the Laval Police Dept.
Some highlights from the report:
- There were two murders and two attempted homicides in 2024 (up to early December), compared to five murders and 11 attempts during the same period in 2023;
- Stolen car incidents dropped by 38 per cent;
- Fraud cases have risen by 37 per cent since 2021, according to the LPD;
- There were 23 incidents involving the illegal discharge of firearms in Laval in 2024, compared to 11 the year before;
- 16 arrests related to firearms were made in 2024, and 31 firearms were seized, compared to 53 seized firearms in 2023.
Jean-François Rousselle, assistant-director of the Laval Police, told the Montreal daily La Presse that the LPD believes a wave of arson attacks at local restaurants, accompanied by extortion threats against owners, may have been perpetrated by relatively new criminal gangs fighting for territory against larger more experienced entities like the Mafia and the Hells Angels.
“We get the feeling there are other groups seeking their own space, especially as regards the extortion phenomenon,” said Rousselle.